From Legal Services for Prisoners With Children

From Legal Services for Prisoners With Children:

Shawanna Lumsey lives in Arkansas and was pregnant while in prison there.
She gave birth in shackles and sued the state and won. This was a really
important lawsuit stating that shackling people during labor is
unconstitutional. The state appealed and this week lost the appeal. In
the meantime, Shawanna got a job where they didn't ask for her criminal
background. There was publicity about her lawsuit this week and she was
immediately fired.

I am very grateful to all of the support that each and every one gave me
in support of the Lawsuit about the shackles. I live this traumatizing
event over and over of the childbirth of my son. I am very clear on the
details because this is an experience that I will never forget. I
thank-you from the bottom of my heart for every kind word and every
heartfelt expression that was personally given to me. This issue was not
only about me it was about every woman that had to go through the same
traumatic experience that I encountered.

On the other had, the termination of my job-that really wasn't a big
shocker to me! Considering the fact that our state considers that it is
"OK" to put women in shackles during labor. It is so amazing that until
someone finds out about my criminial past, it is so upsetting to them
because they feel I am not deserving of anything. It is really no
difference to my job that I have fought every barrier and defeated every
obstacle to reform into a positive fate in society. Instead, I have been
ridiculed, fought against, kicked down, beat up, and whatever else you
want to call it just by trying to accomplish the mission of the
Corrections Institution mission to Correct my negative behavior. Here I am
getting up going to work every day performing with my team the best of my
knowledge and abilities and I still get terminated because of something
that happened in my past. I realize that there are consequences that will
always follow me because of my criminal history. How in the world is a
person allowed an opportunity to reform back into society-without the
risk of society having such a negative attitude towards them. Society
deems that I an "not worthy" or do not deserve to have a "good job"
because I was ONCE incarcerated. All of the money that the federal
government has allocated for re-entry has an important missing component,
that is training the employers not to be bias against the former
convicted felon." But, I am going to keep my head held high and move on.
God has not put me through all of this turmoil without something great
happening in the end!

_______________________________________________

Inline Attachment Follows: untitled-[2]
I am very grateful to all of the support that each and every one gave me in support of the Lawsuit about the shackles. I live this traumatizing event over and over of the childbirth of my son. I am very clear on the details because this is an experience that I will never forget. I thank-you from the bottom of my heart for every kind word and every heartfelt expression that was personally given to me. This issue was not only about me it was about every woman that had to go through the same traumatic experience that I encountered.

On the other had, the termination of my job-that really wasn't a big shocker to me! Considering the fact that our state considers that it is "OK" to put women in shackles during labor. It is so amazing that until someone finds out about my criminial past, it is so upsetting to them because they feel I am not deserving of anything. It is really no difference to my job that I have fought every barrier and defeated every obstacle to reform into a positive fate in society. Instead, I have been ridiculed, fought against, kicked down, beat up, and whatever else you want to call it just by trying to accomplish the mission of the Corrections Institution mission to Correct my...